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Study and Stimulants

A. Arthur Reade

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Title2 Study and Stimulants

Author2 A. Arthur Reade

Release $ate2 3ctober, 4556 7EBook 890:4;7'es, "e are more than one year ahead of schedule;7This file "as first !osted on anguage2 English

haracter set encoding2 AS &&

((( START 3* T-E PR3A@TSC


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3R,

T-E ?SE 3* &@T3D& A@TS A@$ @AR 3T& S &@ RE>AT&3@ T3 &@TE>>E T?A> >&*E,

AS &>>?STRATE$ B' PERS3@A> 3 ?@& AT&3@S 3@ T-E S?BETTERS A@$ 3* S &E@ E.

E$&TE$ B' A. ART-?R REA$E.

&@TR3$? T&3@.

The real influence of the into icants and narcotics in common use hasbeen a matter of fierce and !rolonged contro#ersy. The most o!!ositeo!inions ha#e been set forth "ith ability and earnestnessC but the"eight they "ould other"ise carry is lessened by their mutuallycontradictor y character. @ot"ithstanding the great influence of the!hysicianFs authority, !eo!le are !er!le ed by the blessings andbannings besto"ed u!on tobacco and the #arious forms of alcohol.

)hat is the real influence of stimulants and narcotics u!on the brain

$o they gi#e increased strength, greater lucidity of mind and morecontinuous !o"er $o they "eaken and cloud the intellect, and lessenthat ca!acity for enduring a !rolonged strain of mental e ertion "hichis one of the first reHuisites of the intellectual life )ould a man"ho is about to enter u!on the consideration of !roblems, the correctsolution of "hich "ill demand all the strength and agility of hismind, be hel!ed or hindered by their use These are Huestions "hichare asked e#ery day, and es!ecially by the young, "ho seek in #ain for an adeHuate re!ly. The student gra!!ling "ith the early difficultiesof science and literature, "ishes to kno" "hether he "ill be "iser touse or to abstain from stimulants.

The theoretical as!ect of the Huestion has !erha!s been sufficientlydiscussedC but there still remains the !ractical inHuiry, %)hat hasbeen the e !erience of those engaged in intellectual "ork % -a#e menof science the in#entors, the statesmen, the essayists, and no#elistsof our o"n day found ad#antage or the re#erse in the use of alcoholand tobacco

The !roblem has for years e ercised my thoughts, and "ith the ho!e of arri#ing at IdataI "hich "ould be trust"orthy and decisi#e, &entered u!on an inde!endent inHuiry among the re!resentati#es of literature, science, and art, in Euro!e and America. The re!lies "erenot only numerous, but in most cases co#ered "ider ground than that

originally contem!lated. any of the "riters gi#e details of their habits of "ork, and thus, in addition to the #alue of the testimony onthis s!ecial to!ic, the letters thro" great light u!on the methods of


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To each "riter, and es!ecially to $r. Ale . Bain, r. R. E.*rancillon, ark T"ain, r. E. 3F$ono#an, r. < E. Boehm, Professor $o"den, the Re#. $r. artineau, ount Gubernatis, the Abbe oigno, andProfessor agnus, "ho ha#e sho"n hearty interest in the enHuiry, &tender my best thanks for contributing to the solution of theim!ortant !roblem of the #alue of stimulantsC also to r. ). E. A.

A on for suggesti#e and much a!!reciated hel!. & should, ho"e#er, beglad of further testimonies for use in a second edition.

IETTERS *R3 2

Abbot, The Re#. $r.

Allibone, r. S. Astin

Argyll, The $uke of, *. R. S.

Arnold, r. atthe"

Ayrton, Professor

Bain, $r. Ale ander

Ball, Professor Robert S., >>. $., *. R. S.

Bancroft, r. -ubert -o"e

Ba endell, r.


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Burnaby, a!tain *red

Butler, >ieut. ol. ). *.

Burnton, $r. >auder, *. R. S.

am!, adame du

ar!enter, $r. ). B., . B., >>. $., *. R. S.

hambers, r. )illiam, >>. $

hilds, r. George ).

laretie, . >. $.

Edison, Professor

Ellis, r. Ale .


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-aeckel, Professor Ernst

-amerton, r. Phili! Gilbert

-ardy, r. Thomas

-arrison, r. *rederic

-enty, r. G. A.

-olmes, r. 3li#er )endell

-olyoake, r. George


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Pattison, The Re#. ark, B. $.

Payn, r.


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)urtK, .

&&&. APPE@$&D

TEST& 3@&ES 3*2

Bennett, $r. Risdon

Brooke, The Re#. Sto!ford A., . A.

Bryant, )illiam .

hambers, $r. ing

*raser, Professor Thomas R.

-erkomer, -ubert, A. R. A.

-igginson, olonel Thomas )ent"orth

-o"itt, )illiam

ingsley, The Re#. harles

artineau, -arriet

iller, Professor

Proctor, r. R. A., *. R. S.

Richardson, $r. B. )., *. R. S.

Sala, r. George Augustus

Tem!le, Bisho!

Thom!son, Sir -enry, *. R. . S.

)illiams, r. ). attieu, *. R. A. S., *. . S.

'eo, $r. Bumey, . $.

&+. 3@ >?S&3@

ST?$' A@$ ST& ?>A@TS

T-E RE+. $R. ABB3T,E$&T3R 3* T-E % -R&ST&A@ ?@&3@,% @E) '3R .


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& ha#e no e !erience "hate#er res!ecting tobacco2 my general o!inionis ad#erse to its use by a healthy manC but that o!inion is notfounded on any !ersonal e !erience, nor on any scientific kno"ledge,as to gi#e it any #alue for others. y o!inion res!ecting alcohol isthat it is a #aluable and necessary ingredient in forming and!reser#ing some articles of diet yeast bread, for e am!le, "hich canonly be !roduced by fermentation and that its #alue in the lighter "ines, those in "hich it is found in, a ratio of from : to 5 !er cent., is of the same character. &t !reser#es for use other elementsin the juice of the gra!e. As a stimulant, alcohol is, in my o!inion,at once a deadly !oison and a #aluable medicine, to be ranked "ithbelladonna, arsenic, !russic acid, and other to ical agents, "hich canne#er be safely dis!ensed "ith by the medical faculty, nor safely usedby laymen as a stimulant, e ce!t under medical ad#ice. As to mye !erience, it is #ery limitedC and, in my judgment, it is Huiteunsafe in this matter to make one manFs e !erience another manFsguide2 too much de!ends u!on tem!eramental and constitutional!eculiarities, and u!on s!ecial conditions of climate and the like.

. & ha#e no e !erience res!ecting distilled s!iritsC & regard them ashighly dangerous, and ha#e ne#er used them e ce!t under medicalad#ice, and then only in rare and serious cases of illness. 4. Beersand the lighter "ines, if taken before mental "ork, al"ays in mye !erience im!air the "orking !o"ers. They do not facilitate, butim!ede brain action. =. After an e ce!tionally hard dayFs "ork, "henthe ner#ous !o"er is e hausted, and the stomach is not able to digestand assimilate the food "hich the system needs, a glass of light "ine,taken "ith the dinner, is a better aid to digestion than any other medicine that & kno". To ser#e this !ur!ose, its use in my o!inionshould be e ce!tional, not habitual2 it is a medicine, not a be#erage.6. After ner#ous e citement in the e#ening, es!ecially !ublic

s!eaking, a glass of light beer ser#es a useful !ur!ose as a sedati#e,and ensures at times a good slee!, "hen "ithout it the night "ould beone of im!erfect slee!.

& must re!eat that my e !erience is #ery limitedC that in my judgmentthe cases "hich justify a man in so o#erta ing his system that hereHuires a medicine to enable him to digest his dinner or enjoy hisslee! must be rareC and that my o"n use of either "ine or beer is #erye ce!tional. Though & am not in strictness of s!eech a totalabstinence man, & am ordinarily a "ater drinker.

>' A@ ABB3T.

arch , JJ4.

R. S. A?ST&@ A>>&B3@E, @E) '3R .

& ha#e no doubt that the use of alcohol as a rule is #ery injurious toall !ersons authors included. &n about 0 years L J:= J05M, in "hich& "as engaged on the %$ictionary of English >iterature and Authors,% &ne#er took it but for medicine, and #ery seldom. oderate smoking

after meals & think useful to those "ho use their brains muchC andthis seems to ha#e been the o!inion of the majority of the !hysicians"ho took !art in the contro#ersy in the I>ancetI about ten or


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"ork soon after dinner. A smoker is "illing to rest Lit should be for an hourM, because he can enjoy his cigar, and his conscience issatisfied, "hich is a great thing for digestionC the brain is soothedalso.

S. A?ST&@ A>>&[email protected] 40, JJ4.

T-E $? E 3* ARG'>>, *. R. S.

&n ans"er to your Huestion, & can only say that during by far thegreatest !art of my life & ne#er took alcohol in any formC and thatonly in recent years & ha#e taken a small fi ed Huantity under medicalad#ice, as a !re#enti#e of gout. Tobacco & ha#e ne#er touched.

ARG'>>.3ctober 4, JJ4.

R. ATT-E) AR@3>$.

&n re!ly to your enHuiry, & ha#e to inform you that & ha#e ne#er smoked, and ha#e al"ays drunk "ine, chiefly claret. As to the use of "ine, & can only s!eak for myself. 3f course, there is the danger of

e cessC but a healthy nature and the !o"er of self control being!resu!!osed, one can hardly do better, & should think, than %follo"nature% as to "hat one drinks, and its times and Huantity. As ageneral rule, & drink "ater in the middle of the dayC and a glass or t"o of sherry, and some light claret, mi ed "ith "ater, at a latedinnerC and this seems to suit me #ery "ell. & ha#e gi#en u! beer inthe middle of the day, not because & e !erienced that it did not suitme, but because the doctor assured me that it "as bad for rheumatism,from "hich & sometimes suffer. & su!!ose most young !eo!le could do asmuch "ithout "ine as "ith it. Real brain "ork of itself, & think,u!sets the "orker, and makes him biliousC "ine "ill not cure this, nor "ill abstaining from "ine !re#ent it. But, in general, "ine used in

moderation seems to add to the IagreeablenessI of life for adults, at any rateC and "hate#er adds to the agreeableness of lifeadds to its resources and !o"ers.

ATT-E) AR@3>$.@o#ember 6, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R A'RT3@

-as no #ery definite o!inions as to the effects of tobacco and alcoholu!on the mind and health, but as he is not in the habit of either


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essential to mental e ertion.

A!ril 4 , JJ4.

$R. A>EDA@$ER BA&@,>3R$ RE T3R 3* ABER$EE@ ?@&+ERS&T'.

& am interested in the fact that anyone is engaged in a thoroughin#estigation of the action of stimulants. Although the subject fallsunder my o"n studies in some degree, & am a #ery indifferent testimonyas far as concerns !ersonal e !erience. 3n the action of tobacco, & amdisHualified to s!eak, from ne#er ha#ing used it. As to the other stimulants alcohol and the tea grou! & find abstinence essential tointellectual effort. They induce a false e citement, not com!atible"ith se#ere a!!lication to !roblems of difficulty. They come in "ell

enough at the end of the day as soothing, or cheering, and also asdi#erting the thoughts into other channels. &n my early intercourse"ith my friendC $r. ar!enter, "hen he "as a strict teetotaler, heused to discredit the effect of alcohol in soothing the e citement of !rolonged intellectual "ork. & ha#e al"ays considered, ho"e#er, thatthere is something in it. E cess of tea & ha#e good reason tode!recateC & take it only once a day. The difficulty that !resses u!onme on the "hole subject is this2 &n organic influences, you are notat liberty to lay do"n the la" of concomitant #ariations "ithoute ce!tion, or to affirm that "hat is bad in large Huantities, issim!ly less bad "hen the Huantity is small. There may be !ro!ortionsnot only innocuous, but beneficialC reasoning from the analogy of the

action of many drugs "hich !resent the greatest o!!osition of effectin different Huantities. & mean this not "ith reference to theinutility for intellectual stimulation, in "hich & ha#e a !retty clear o!inion as regards myself but as to the harmlessness in the long run,of the em!loyment of stimulants for solace and !leasure "hen ke!t to"hat "e call moderation. A friend of mine heard Thackeray say that hegot some of his best thoughts "hen dri#ing home from dining out, "ithhis skin full of "ine. That a man might get chance suggestions by thener#ous e citement, & ha#e no doubtC & s!eak of the serious "ork of com!osition.


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& fear my e !erience can be of little use to you. & ha#e ne#er smokede ce!t once "hen at schoolC & then got sick, and ha#e ne#er desiredto smoke since. & ha#e not !aid !articular attention to the subject,but & ha#e ne#er seen anything to make me belie#e that tobacco "as of real use to intellectual "orkers. & ha#e kno"n of !eo!le being injuredby smoking too much, but & ne#er heard of anyone suffering from notsmoking at all.

R3BERT S. BA>>.*ebruary =, JJ4.

R. -?BERT -3)E BA@ R3*T,SA@ *RA@ &S 3.

&n my o!inion, some constitutions are benefited by a moderate use of tobacco and alcoholC others are not. But to touch these things isdangerous.

-. -. BA@ R3*T.ay 9, JJ4.

R. >, *. R. A. S.

& fear that my e !erience of the results of the use of stimulants "illnot aid you much in your enHuiry. Although & am not a !rofessedteetotaler or anti smoker, !ractically & may say & am one2 and "hen &am engaged in literary "ork, scientific in#estigations, or long andcom!licated calculations, & ne#er think of taking any stimulant to aidor refresh me, and & doubt "hether it "ould be of any use to do so.

>.*ebruary 45, JJ4.

$R. G. . BEAR$,*E>>3) 3* T-E @E) '3R A A$E ' 3* E$& &@E.

&n re!ly to your enHuiries, & may say first2 & do not find thatalcohol is so good a stimulant to thought as coffee, tea, o!ium, or tobacco. 3n myself alcohol has rather a benumbing and stu!efyingeffect, "hate#er may be the dose em!loyedC "hereas, tobacco and o!ium,in moderate doses, tea, and es!ecially coffee, as "ell as cocoa, ha#ean effect !recisely the re#erse.

Secondly2 there are many !ersons on "hom alcohol in large or smalldoses has a stimulating effect on thought2 they can s!eak and think


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stimulate himself for his great s!eeches by the use of alcohol.

Thirdly2 these stimulants and narcotics, according to the tem!eramentof the !erson on "hom they are used, ha#e effects !recisely o!!osite,either sedati#e or stimulatingC "hile coffee makes some !eo!le slee!y,the majority of !ersons are made "akeful by it. Some are made #eryner#ous by tobacco in the form of smoking, "hile on others it acts asa sedati#e, and induces slee!. General Grant once told me Fthat, if disturbed during the night, or "orried about anything so that he couldnot slee!, he could induce slee! by getting u! and smoking a shorttime a fe" "hiffs, as & understood him, being sufficient.

&f & "ere to judge by my o"n e !erience alone "hich it is not fair todo & should say that coffee is the best stimulant for mental "orkCne t to that tobacco and HuinineC but as & gro" older, & obser#e thatalcohol in reasonable doses is beginning to ha#e a stimulating effect.

GE3RGE . BEAR$.arch =, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R PA?> BERT.

y #ie"s on tobacco and alcohol, and their action on the health, maybe summed u! in the follo"ing four !ro!ositions2

. )hole !o!ulations ha#e attained to a high degree of ci#iliKationand !ros!erity "ithout ha#ing kno"n either tobacco or alcohol,

therefore, these substances are neither necessary nor e#en useful toindi#iduals as "ell as races.

4. +ery considerable Huantities of these drugs, taken at a singledose, may cause deathC smaller Huantities stu!efy, or kill moreslo"ly. They are, therefore, !oisons against "hich "e must be on our guard.

=. 3n the other hand, there are innumerable !ersons "ho drinkalcoholic be#erages, and smoke tobacco, "ithout any detriment to their reason or their health. There is, therefore, no reason to forbid theuse of these substances, "hile suitably regulating the Huantity to be

taken.

6. The use of alcoholic liHuors and of tobacco in feeble doses,affords to many !ersons #ery great satisfaction, and is altogether harmless and inoffensi#e.

)e ought, therefore, to attach no stigma to their consum!tion, after ha#ing !ointed out the danger of their abuse. &n short, it is "ithalcohol and tobacco as "ith all the !leasures of this life a Huestionof degree.

As for myself, & ne#er smoke, because & am not fond of tobacco2 & #ery

seldom drink alcoholic liHuors, but & take "ine to all my mealsbecause & like it.


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arch , JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R A &E.

y idea is, that "ork done under the influence of any kind of stimulants is unhealthy "ork, and tends to no good. & ne#er use anykind of stimulant for intellectual "ork only a glass of "ine duringdinner to shar!en the a!!etite. As to smoking generally, it is a #ileand odious !racticeC but & do not kno" that, unless carried to e cess,it is in any "ay unhealthy. &nstead of stimulants, literary men shouldseek for aid in a !leasant #ariety of occu!ation, in inter#als of !erfect rest, in fresh air and e ercise, and a culti#ation of systematic moderation in all emotions and !assions.

A &E.

*ebruary /, JJ4.

. >3?&S B>A@ .

&n ans"er to your letter, & beg to tell you that & do not kno" bye !erience "hat may be the effects of tobacco and alcohol u!on themind and health, not ha#ing been in the habit of taking tobacco anddrinking alcohol.

>3?&S B>A@ .arch /, JJ4.

R.


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"ould make me feel giddy in the country "hen in full health and#igour, "ould not ha#e the slightest effect on me "hen taken after ahard dayFs "ork. & also obser#ed that & can "ork longer "ithoutfatigue "hen & ha#e had my ride, than "hen for any reason & ha#e togi#e it u!. & ha#e carried this mode of life on for nearly t"entyyears, and am "ell and feel young, though forty eight. & ne#er see anyone from ten to three oFclockC after that & still "ork, but must oftensuffer interru!tion. & found that tem!erament and constitution arerarely, if e#er, a legitimate e cuse for de!arture from abstinence andsober habits. & ha#e the con#iction that in order to ha#e the eye andthe brain clear, you ought to make your skin act #igorously at leastonce in t"enty four hours.

A@GE@.

&n re!ly to your letter, & am accustomed to smoke. &f & do not smoke,& cannot do my "ork !ro!erlyC and it is Huite im!ossible to do any"ork in the morning "ithout smoking. Strong drink & do not need atall, but & drink t"o glasses of Ba#arian beer, "hich contains #erylittle alcohol.

E. BRE$E@ A P. A!ril J, JJ4.

R. *3R$ A$3D BR3)@, R. A.

& ha#e smoked for u!"ards of thirty years, and ha#e gi#en u! smokingfor the last se#en years. Almost all my life & ha#e taken alcoholicliHuors in moderation, but ha#e also been a total abstainer for ashort !eriod. y e !erience is that neither course "ith either ingredient has anything to do "ith mental "ork as ca!acity for itCunless, indeed, "e are to e ce!t the inca!acity !roduced by e cessi#e

drinking, of "hich, ho"e#er, & ha#e no !ersonal e !erience.

*. . BR3)@.*eb. 4J, JJ4.

R. R3BERT B? -A@A@.

& am myself no authority on the subject concerning "hich you "rite. &

drink myself, but not during the hours of "orkC and & smoke !rettyhabitually. y o"n e !erience and belief is, that both alcohol andtobacco, like most blessings, can be turned into curses by habitual


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in#aluable to humankind. The cases of dire disease generated by totalabstinence from liHuor are e#en more terrible than those caused bye cess. )ith regard to tobacco, & ha#e a notion that it is onlydangerous "here the #ital organism, and !articularly the ner#oussystem, is badly nourished.

R3BERT B? -A@[email protected] 0, JJ4.

$R. B?$$E@SE&G,$RES$E@.

& ha#e no decided o!inion "hate#er as to the Huestion you ask. & canonly say that & am a #ery small smoker, taking one or t"o cigarsdaily, and & drink Rhine "ine, but not daily, as most scholars or

those "orking "ith their brains generally do. There can be, & shouldthink, no Huestion that immoderate use of alcohol !roduces mostdestructi#e results.

E. B?$$E@SE&G.*eb. 45, JJ4.

APTA&@ *RE$ B?R@AB'.

&n my humble o!inion, e#ery man must find out for himself "hether stimulants are a hel! to his intellectual efforts. &t is im!ossible tolay do"n a la". )hat "ould, !erha!s, enable one man to "ritebrilliantly "ould make another man "rite nonsense. & myself, althoughnot an abstainer, should think it a great mistake to seek ins!irationin either tobacco or alcohol.

*. B?R@AB'.arch 4, JJ4.

>&E?T. 3>. ). *. B?T>ER.

&n re!ly to your communication, asking for a statement of mye !erience as to the effects of tobacco and alcohol u!on the mind andhealth, & beg to inform you that as & ha#e not been in the habit of using the first named article at any !eriod of my life, & am unable tos!eak of its effects, mental or other"ise. )ith regard to alcohol, &ha#e found that although the brain may recei#e a tem!orary accessionto its !roduction of thought, through the use of "ine, etc., such

increased action is al"ays follo"ed by a decided "eakening of thethinking !o"er, and that on the "hole a far greater amount of Ie#enI mental "ork is to be obtained "ithout the use of alcohol


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). *. B?T>ER.*eb. J, JJ4.

$R. >A?$ER B?R@T3@, *. R. S.

& am unable to gi#e you !ersonal e !erience as to the use of tobacco,inasmuch as & do not use it in any form. *rom obser#ation of others ita!!ears to me that, "hen not used to e cess, it is ser#iceable both asa stimulant during "ork, and as a sedati#e after "ork is o#er.

>A?$ER B?R@T3@.*eb. /, JJ4.

AD& E $? A P.

& ha#e ne#er been able to make any e !eriences on the influence of alcohol u!on the mind. & ne#er drink it, and ha#e ne#er been ti!sy. &smoke #ery much, but only the !i!e and cigarette. & take t"o mealse#ery day one at ele#en, consisting of a mutton cho!, #egetables, anda cu! of tea. & make a hearty dinner at se#en, and drink a bottle of Bordeau "ine. & ne#er "ork in the e#eningC and go to bed at half !astten. & think the use of tobacco #ery useless and rather stu!id. As to

alcohol, & consider it #ery hurtful for the li#er, and highlyinjurious to the mind. The life of mental "orkers should be "ellregulated and tem!erate in all res!ects. Bodily e ercises, such asriding, "alking and hunting, are #ery necessary for the rela ation of the mind, and must be taken occasionally. &n my o!inion, allintellectual !roductions are due to a s!ecial dis!osition of thecerebro s!inal system, u!on "hich tobacco and alcohol can ha#e nosalutary action. & fear that my ans"er "ill be of little hel! to youCfor in these matters & esteem theory nothing. There are, as theGermans say, IidiosyncrasiesI.

AD& E $? A P.

*eb. 0, JJ4.

$R. ). B. ARPE@TER, . B., >>. $., *. R. S.

&n re!ly to your enHuiry, & ha#e to inform you that & ha#e ne#er feltthe need of alcoholic stimulants as a hel! in intellectual effortsC onthe contrary, & ha#e found them decidedly injurious in that res!ect,e ce!t "hen used "ith the strictest moderation. *or about ele#en years

of the hardest "orking !eriod of my life, that in "hich & !roduced mylarge treatises on Physiology, edited the edical Nuarterly Re#ie",and did a great deal of other literary "ork, besides lecturing, & "as


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undoubtedly injured myself by o#er "ork during that !eriod, as & ha#emore than once done since under the !ressure of official dutyC but theinjury has sho"n itself in the failure of a!!etite and digesti#e!o"er. After many trials, & ha#e come to the !ractical conclusion that& get on best, "hile in >ondon, by taking "ith my dinner a cou!le of glasses of #ery light laret, and sim!ly as an aid in the digestion of the food "hich is reHuired to kee! u! my mental and bodily !o"er. But"hen %on holiday% in Scotland, or else"here, & do not find the need of this. & ha#e ne#er smoked tobacco, or used it in any form. & needscarcely say that & ha#e ne#er used any other %ner#ine stimulants.%'ou are at !erfect liberty to make use of this communication.

) . B. ARPE@TER.*eb. 0, JJ4.

R. )&>>&A -A BERS, >>. $.

&n re!ly to your note, & ha#e only time to say that & ne#er usedtobacco in any form all my life, and & can say the same thingregarding my brother, Robert.

)&>>&A -A BERS.*ebruary 5, JJ4.

R. GE3RGE ). -&>$S,P-&>A$E>P-&A.

& fear & shall be unable to add to your fund of information. @e#er ha#ing used s!irituous or #inous stimulants, or tobacco in any form, &ha#e no !ersonal %e !erience% of the "ay they affect the mentalfaculties of those "ho use them.

G. ). -&>$S.Se!t. =5, JJ4.

. ES >ARET&E,PAR&S.

& should ha#e been glad to re!ly to your Huestion from my !ersonale !erience, but & do not smoke, and ha#e ne#er in all my life drunk asmuch as a single glass of alcohol. This !lainly sho"s that & reHuireno %filli!% or stimulant "hen at "ork. Tobacco and alcohol may causeo#er e citement of the brain, as does coffee, "hich & am #ery fond ofC

but, in my o!inion, that alone is thorough good "ork "hich is!erformed "ithout artificial stimulant, and in full !ossession of oneFs health and faculties. The reason "e ha#e so many sickly


18/58

"riters, !erha!s, add a little alcohol to their ink, and #ie" lifethrough the fumes of nicotine.

. ES >ARET&E.*eb. 49, JJ4.

R. -'$E >AR E, *. S. S.

As & am not an adherent of the teetotal abstinence mo#ement, & begthat e#erything & "rite may be acce!ted "ith this reser#ation. & ha#ene#er seen that any great thinker has found any hel! or benefit fromthe use of stimulants either alcohol or tobacco. y obser#ations ande !eriences are unfa#ourable to both classes of stimulants. &n my o"ncase, & ga#e u! smoking before my scientific "ork began. Alcoholicdrinks & used moderately, but & "as a "ater drinker chiefly. 3f late

years, from illness, & ha#e gi#en u! alcoholic drinksC but "ere & infull health, & should use them moderately. &n the course of a !ubliclife of about forty years, & ha#e seen the ill effects of drinkingu!on many journalists and othersC but it a!!ears to me that smoking!roduces still greater e#il. A man kno"s "hen he is drunk, but he doesnot kno" "hen he has smoked too much, until the effects of accumulation ha#e made themsel#es !ermanent. To smoking are to betraced many affections of the eyes, and of the ears, besides other ailments. & ha#e heard much said in fa#our of smoking and drinking,but ne#er sa" any fa#ourable result. The communication of the e#ilresults of these stimulants to offs!ring a!!ears to me to constitute afurther serious objection to them, & a!!ro#e fully of your object, but

as & do not go to the length of total abstinence ad#ocates, & amdesirous not to be misunderstood. Se#eral years of my life "ere s!entin the East, and my e !erience there only confirms me the more. & ha#ekno"n many drunkards among literary men, and the stimulants they tookne#er hel!ed their "orkC and it "as only because they "ere men of e ce!tionally strong brain that their e cesses did not inca!acitatethem. There are many e cesses of this kind that are eHuallymisunderstood by those "ho indulge in them, and by tem!erance "riters.There are, in fact, many men of enormous !o"er, "ho can smoke anddrink all day long. They constitute no standard2 so far as & ha#eseen, the conseHuences sho" themsel#es only in the offs!ring, thoughin this case it must be taken into account, that the children are

sometimes born before a manFs health has been seriously injured. A manof e ce!tional strength misleads and encourages others to indulge.

-'$E >AR E.3ctober 6, JJ4.

R. )&> &E 3>>&@S.

)hen & am ill L& am suffering from gout at this #ery momentM tobaccois the best friend that my irritable ner#es !ossess. )hen & am "ell,but e hausted for the time by a hard dayFs "ork, tobacco ner#es and


19/58

himself to become a glutton in the matter of smoking tobacco, hesuffers for itC and if he becomes a glutton in the matter of eatingmeat, he just as certainly suffers in another "ay. )hen & read learnedattacks on the !ractice of smoking, & feel indebted to the "riter headds largely to the relish of my cigar.

)&> &E 3>3@S.*ebruary 5, JJ4.

R. 3@ ?RE $. 3@)A', . A.

y e !erience of stimulants has been insufficient to enable me togi#e any im!ortant o!inion about them. As to tobacco, my strong ho!eis that my o"n sons "ill ne#er use itC but if they should de#elo!!eculiar and e citable ner#es, or become #ery emotional, or ha#e much

trouble, it is so likely that they might take to some "orse habit that& "ould !refer they should smoke.

. $. 3@)A'.*ebruary 44, JJ4.

RE+. ). -. $A>>&@GER, *. R. S.

& am not a !ledged abstainer2 & ha#e used both tobacco and alcohol in#arious forms. @either is at all necessary to my #igour of either bodyor mind. y use of tobacco has been but slight. & ha#e ne#er ?sedalcohol for years. & could ne#er think dee!ly after the use of tobaccoC & ha#e felt a Huickening of thought at times after a slightuse of good "ineC but & kno", from !hysiological e#idence, "hat!ractice has certainly !ro#ed, that no !ermanent benefit to either body or mind must be sought from its use. & ha#e em!loyed it "ithgreat benefit at times that is, "here it "as better to afford thee haustion follo"ing a mere stimulant, than to submit to an e haustion"hich the stimulant could for the moment counteract. This is the onlyad#antage, sa#e to the !alate, that & ha#e kno"n to be deri#ed

!ersonally from the use of alcohol.

). -. $A>>&@GER.*ebruary , JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R $AR)&@.

& drink a glass of "ine daily, and belie#e & should be better "ithout

any, though all doctors urge me to drink "ine, as & suffer much fromgiddiness. & ha#e taken snuff all my life, and regret that & e#er acHuired the habit, "hich & ha#e often tried to lea#e off, and ha#e


20/58

in my "ork. & also daily smoke t"o little !a!er cigarettes of Turkishtobacco. This is not a stimulus, but rests me after & ha#e beencom!elled to talk, "ith tired memory, more than anything else. & am 0=years old.

-. $AR)&@.*ebruary /, JJ4.

). B3'$ $A) &@S, . A., *. R. S., *. G. S.PR3*ESS3R 3* GE3>3G', 3)E@S 3>>EGE, A@ -ESTER.

& ha#e recei#ed your note asking about the effect of alcohol on myhealth and "ork. & cannot say that they influence eitherC & find,ho"e#er, that & cannot drink beer "hen & am using my brain, and,therefore, do not take it "hen & ha#e anything of im!ortance to think

about. & look u!on tobacco and alcohol as merely lu uries, and thereare no lu uries more dangerous if you take too much of them. & findHuinine the best stimulant to thought.

). B3'$ $A) &@S.*ebruary 9, JJ4.

The Re#. A>ED. 3RRESP3@$E@T 3* T-E %$A&>' @E)S.%

As far as my e !erience goes, the use of stimulants enables one atmoments of se#ere bodily e haustion to make mental efforts of "hich,but for them, he "ould be absolutely inca!able. *or instance, after a

long dayFs ride in the burning sun across the dry stony "astes of @orthern Persia, & ha#e arri#ed in some "retched, mud built to"n, andlaid do"n u!on my car!et in the corner of some miserable ho#el,


21/58

inse!arable from constant association "ith Eastern ser#ants. &t "ouldbe necessary to "rite a long letter to the ne"s!a!ers before retiringto rest. A judicious use of stimulants has, under such circumstances,not only gi#en me sufficient energy to un!ack my "riting materials,lie on my face, and !ro!!ed on both elbo"s, "rite for hours by thelight of a smoky lam!C but also !roduced the flo" of ideas that!re#iously refused to come out of their mental hiding !laces, or "hich!resented themsel#es in a flat and uninteresting form. & consider,then, the use of alcoholic and other stimulation to be conduci#e toliterary labours under circumstances of !hysical and mentale haustionC and #ery often the latter is the normal condition of "riters, es!ecially those em!loyed on the !ress. Perha!s, too, ine amining into the nature of some meta!hysical and !sychologicalHuestions the use of alcohol, or some similar stimulant, aids thea!!reciation of InuancesI of thought "hich might other"ise esca!ethe cooler and less e cited brain. 3n the other hand, "hile tra#ellingin the East during the !ast fe" years, and "hen, as a rule,circumstances !recluded the !ossibility of obtaining stimulants, &found that a robust state of health conseHuent on an out door life,

made the consum!tion of alcohol in any sha!e Huite unnecessary. &nbrief, then, my o!inion is, that at a gi#en moment of mentalde!ression or e haustion, the use of stimulants "ill restore the mindto a condition of acti#ity and !o"er fully eHualling, and in some!articular "ays, sur!assing its normal state. SubseHuently to thedying out of the stimulation the brain is left in a still morecolla!sed situation than before, in other "ords, must !ay the !enalty,in the form of an ad#erse reaction, of ha#ing o#erdra"n its !o"ers,for ha#ing, as it "ere, antici!ated its "ork.

E. 3F$3@3+A@. *eb. 0, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R $3)$E@, >>. $.

& distinguish direct and immediate effect of alcohol on the brain fromits indirect effect through the general health of the body. & can onlys!eak for myself. & ha#e no doubt that the direct effect of alcohol onme is intellectually injurious. This, ho"e#er, is true in a certaindegree, of e#erything & eat and drink Le ce!t teaM. After the smallestmeal & am for a "hile less acti#e mentally. A single glass e#en of

claret & belie#e injures my !o"er of thinkingC but acce!ting thenecessity of regular meals, & do not find that a s!aring allo"ance of light "ine adds to the subseHuent dulness of mind, and & am dis!osedto think it is of some slight use !hysically. *rom one to t"o and ahalf IsmallI "ine glasses of claret or burgundy is the limit of "hat & can take and that only at dinner "ithout conscious harm. 3neglass of sherry or !ort & find e#ery "ay injurious. )hisky and brandyare to me sim!ly !oisons, destroying my !o"er of enjoyment and of thought. Ale & can only drink "hen #ery much in the o!en air. As totobacco, & ha#e ne#er smoked much, but & can either not smoke, as at!resent, or go to the limit of t"o small cigarettes in t"enty four hours. Any good effects of tobacco become "ith me uncertain in

!ro!ortion to the freHuency of smoking. The good effects are thosecommonly ascribed to it2 it seems to soothe a"ay small "orries, and torestore little irritating incidents to their true !ro!ortions. 3n a


22/58

me to start "ith "ork & had been !ausing o#erC and it nearly al"ayshas the !o"er to !roduce a !leasant, and !erha!s "holesome,retardation of thought a half unthinking re#erie, if one ada!tssurrounding circumstances to encourage this mood. The only sure brainstimulants "ith me are !lenty of fresh air and teaC but each of thesein large Huantity !roduces a kind of into ication2 the into ication of a great amount of air causing "akefulness, "ith a delightful confusionof s!irits, "ithout the ca!acity of steady thoughtC tea into icationunsettles and enfeebles my "illC but then a great dose of tea oftendoes get good "ork out of me Lthough & may !ay for it after"ardsM,"hile alcohol renders all mental "ork im!ossible. & ha#e beenaccustomed to make the effects of tea and "ine a mode of se!aratingt"o ty!es of constitution. & ha#e an artist friend "hose brain isli#elier after a bottle of arlo"itK, "hich "ould stifle my mind, andto him my strong cu! of tea "ould be !oison. )e are both, & think, of ner#ous organiKation, but ho" differentiated & cannot tell. y !ulsegoes al"ays rather too HuicklyC a little emotional disturbance sets itgoing at an absurdly ra!id rate for hours, and e treme !hysicalfatigue follo"s. y con#iction is that no one rule a!!lies to all men,

but for men like me alcohol is certainly not necessary, and at best of little use. & ha#e a kindlier feeling to"ards tobacco, though & amonly occasionally a smoker.

P.S. Since "riting the abo#e, & ha#e asked t"o friends Leach anintellectual "orker of e traordinary energyM ho" alcohol affects them.Both agreed that a large dose of alcohol stimulated them

IintellectuallyI, but that the subseHuent I!hysicalI results"ere injurious.

E. $3)[email protected] =, JJ4.

PR3*ES3R E$&S3@.

& think che"ing tobacco acts as a good stimulant u!on anyone engagedin laborious brain "ork. Smoking, although !leasant, is too #iolent inits actionC and the same remark a!!lies to alcoholic liHuors. & aminclined to think that it is better for intellectual "orkers to!erform their labours at night, as after a #ery long e !erience of

night "ork, & find my brain is in better condition at that time,es!ecially for e !erimental "ork, and "hen so engaged & almostin#ariably che" tobacco as a stimulant.

T-3S. A. E$&S3@, A!ril 6, JJ4.

R. A>ED. >&S, *. R. S., *. S. A.,PRES&$E@T 3* T-E P-&>3>3G& A> S3 &ET'.

& am 90 =O6. & ne#er took tobacco in any sha!e or form. *or


23/58

coffee. But for eight years in and amongst these t"enty fi#e, but not!art of them, & took a little "ine. This is eight years ago. & did notfind "ine increased my !o"er of "ork. & ha#e led a "orking literarylife, al"ays occu!ied, e ce!t "hen obliged to rest from o#er "ork. Thelongest of these rests "as three years, from J6/, "hile & "as stilldrinking "ine. &t is !ossible that "ine may "hi! one u! a bit for amoment, but & donFt belie#e in it as a necessity. & am not ateetotaler or tem!erance man in any "ay, and my rejection of allstimulants Lmy strongest drink being milk and much "aterM is a merematter of taste.

A. >&S.*ebruary 44, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R E+ERETT.

&n re!ly to your letter, & ha#e to say that & think all stimulants,"hether in the form of alcoholic drinks, tea or coffee, or tobacco,should be #ery moderately used. *or my o"n !art, & ha#e ne#er smokedor snuffed, and my daily allo"ance of alcoholic drinks is a so called!int bottle of beer or t"o glasses of "ine. & ha#e more freHuentlysuffered from ner#ous e citability due to tea or coffee, than from anyother kind of stimulant. & can com!ose best "hen my brain is coolestand my digestion easiest. & do not belie#e in artificial stimulus toliterary effort.

?@&3@ 3* E@G>A@$ A@$ )A>ES.

& cannot say anything as to the effects of tobacco and alcohol u!onthe health. & ne#er use either, and so can only say that in my case"ork has been done "ithout their hel!. &n the absence of data for

com!arison as to the effects of indulgence and abstinence, it "ould befoolish in me to e !ress any com!arati#e judgmentC but it is only fair to say that so far as & am ca!able of forming any o!inion on thematter, the abstinence has been altogether beneficial.

R. . *A&RBA&R@.*ebruary 9, JJ4.

R. R. E. *RA@ &>>3@.

&t so ha!!ens that your Huestion belongs to a class of to!ics in "hich


24/58

do better than refer you to a !a!er of mine in the GentlemanFsagaKine of arch, J0:, called %The Physiology of Authorshi!C% but &

fully agree "ith you that the settlement of the Huestion can onlyde!end u!on the collection of indi#idual e !erience. & ha#econsciously studied my o"n, and can state it shortly and !lainly. & ama #ery hard, #ery regular, and not seldom an e cessi#e "orkerC and &find that my consum!tion of tobacco, and my !roduction of "ork are inFalmost e act !ro !ortion, & cannot !retend to guess "hether the "orkdemands the tobacco or "hether the tobacco stimulates the "orkC but inmy case they are ine tricably and, & belie#e, necessarily combined.)hen & take a holiday, es!ecially if & s!end it in the o!en air, &scarcely smoke at allC indeed, & find that bodily e ercise reHuires nostimulant of any kind "hate#er. &f & read, & smoke littleC but if &!roduce, tobacco takes the form of a necessity, & belie#e for & amindolent by InatureI, and tobacco seems to me to be the bestmachine for making "ork go "ith the grain that & can find. 7*ootnote2The "isdom of occasionally using these #arious stimulants for intellectual !ur!oses is !ro#ed by a single consideration. Each of ushas a little cle#erness and a great deal of sluggish stu!idity. There

are certain occasions "hen "e absolutely need the little cle#ernessthat "e !ossess. The orator needs it "hen he s!eaks, the !oet "hen he+ersifies, but neither cares ho" stu!id he may become "hen the orationis deli#ered and the lyric set do"n on !a!er. The stimulant ser#es tobring out the talent "hen it is "anted, like the "ind in the !i!es of an organ. %)hat "ill it matter if & am e#en a little duller after"ards % says the geniusC %& can afford to be dull "hen & ha#edone.% But the truth still remains that there are stimulants andstimulants. @ot the nectar of the gods themsel#es "ere "orth the dashof a "a#e u!on the beach, and the !ure cool air of the morning.Phili! G. -amerton, in I&ntellectual >ifeI, !. 4 .; & ha#e a #erystrong sus!icion that if & did not smoke L"hich & find harmlessM &

should ha#e to conHuer really dangerous tem!tations. As things are,though & am a #ery moderate "ine drinker Ls!irits & ne#er touch, andabhorM, alcohol, !ractically s!eaking, bears no a!!reciable !art in mylifeFs economy. & belie#e that to some !eo!le tobacco is do"nright!oisonC to some, life and healthC to the #ast majority, includingmyself, neither one thing nor the other, but sim!ly a comfort or aninstrument, or a mere nothing, according to idiosyncrasy.

y general theory is, that IbodilyI labour and e ercise need nostimulant at all, or at most #ery littleC but that intellectual, andes!ecially creati#e, "ork, "hen it dra"s u!on the mind beyond aHuickly reached !oint, reHuires being a non natural condition

non natural means to kee! it going. & cannot call to mind a singlecase, e ce!t that of Goethe, "here great mental labour has beencarried on "ithout e ternal su!!ort of some sortC "hich seems to im!lyan instincti#e kno"ledge of ho" to get more out of the brain machinethan is !ossible under normal conditions. 3f course the means mustdiffer more or less in each indi#idual caseC and sometimes the o"ner of a creati#e brain must decide "hether he "ill let it lie fallo" for healthFs sake, or "hether for "orkFs sake he "ill let life and healthgo. & al"ays insist #ery strongly u!on brain "ork beyond an uncertain!oint being Inon naturalI, and, therefore, reHuiring non naturalconditions for its e ercise. & can Huite belie#e the feat of the-ungarian officer 7*ootnote2 The sur!rising endurance of the -ungarian

officer, "ho lately s"am a lake in -ungary, a distance of ele#enmiles, is ascribed to his abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. IThriftI, for *ebruary, JJ4.; "ould be im!ossible to a man "ho


25/58

of "riting, instead of s"imming, "ith a mind at full stretch, for thehalf of ele#en hours. As to economy, tobacco costs me a good dealC but& look u!on it as the in#estment of so much ca!ital, bearing better interest than any other in#estment could bear.

R. E. *RA@ &>>3@. A!ril 6, JJ4.

R. E$)AR$ A. *REE A@, $. . >., >>. $.

& can tell you nothing of the effects of smoking tobacco, ha#ing hadno e !erience. & tried once or t"ice "hen young, but, finding itnasty, & did not try again. I)hyI !eo!le smoke, & ha#e no notion.&f & am tired of "ork, a short slee! sets me u! again. & really ha#enothing to say about alcohol & ha#e ne#er thought about it. & drink

"ine like other !eo!le, and & find brandy an e cellent medicine onoccasion. & used to drink beer, but some of the doctors say it is notgood for me, and some ha#e recommended "hisky insteadC but & reallyha#e no #ie"s on the subject. & ha#e drunk "ine and beer, as & ha#eeaten beef and mutton, "ithout any theories one "ay or another.

E.A. *REE [email protected] 4/, JJ4.

R. *. >, . A.

Though & ha#e no claim to be considered as one of the great thinkersand !o!ular authors, & am a small thinker and a decidedly un!o!ular author, "ho has ne#ertheless done some "ork, & ans"er, that & ha#ebeen a teetotaler since the summer of J6 , "hen & "as 9, and & ha#ene#er smoked e ce!t as a lark at school. & "as a +egetarian for about4: years. & belie#e alcohol to be highly detrimental to head "ork.Tobacco has, & think, done good in only one case that has come under my notice during 65 yearsC it Huieted an e citable man. y father, "ho"as a medical man of "ide !ractice, "as #ery strong against much use

of tobacco. -e kne" t"o cases of s!eedy death from the oil in the bo"lof a tobacco !i!e being a!!lied to aching teeth. -e had se#eral casesof much im!aired digestion from smoking.

*. < *?R@&+A>>.arch J, JJ4.

R. SA ?E> R. GAR$&@ER, -3@. >>. $.PR3*ESS3R 3* 3$ER@ -&ST3R' &@ &@GFS 3>>EGE.

&n re!ly to your letter, & beg to say that & ne#er smoked in my life,


26/58

occasionally a glass or t"o of "ine, but #ery often & am four or fi#edays "ithout doing that.

SA ?E> R. GAR$&@ER.arch /, JJ4.

RT. -3@. ). E. G>A$ST3@E, . P.

&n ans"er to your Huestions, & beg to say that r. Gladstone drinksone glass or t"o of claret at luncheon, the same at dinner, "ith theaddition of a glass of light !ort. The use of "ine to this e tent ises!ecially necessary to him at the time of greatest intellectuale ertion. Smoking he detests, and he has al"ays abstained from the useof #ery strong and fiery stimulants.

-ERBERT A$ST3@E.

@o#ember 4/, JJ4.

$>>E. -. GRE+&>>E.

Being a lady, though my Inom de !lumeI be a manFs, & ha#e littlee !erience of either alcohol or tobacco. & must fairly say that thoughclaret agrees "ith my constitution "hen !ro!erly mi ed "ith "ater,"ine "ithout "ater, and e#ery kind of liHueurs, makes me #ery ill,

es!ecially "hen taken bet"een my meals, "hich are only t"o in numberbreakfast at t"el#e, and dinner at se#en. & ne#er use any stimulant.y slee! being scanty, & "ant sedati#es rather than stimulants. & must

add, ne#ertheless, that once or t"ice in a year, "hen & felt #erytired, and had some "ork to conclude, es!ecially at night, & ha!!enedto smoke one cigarette or Russian !a!yrus, "hich re#i#ed me !rom!tly,and enabled me to finish my "ork. &f you may be interested in myfashion of "orking, & may inform you that & "ork #ery fast, t"o hoursat once, and then take a rest, or dinner. After resting t"o hours, &can "rite t"o hours again. & "rite "ithout scratching, or blotting,about 55 lines of any *rench ne"s!a!er feuilleton, not the

ITem!sI, "hich is larger, but the I*iguroI, or any similar

!a!er, in half an hourFs time. & donFt think that any body could "ritemore HuicklyC & seldom make any corrections, and ne#er co!y my "ork,"hich is sent to the !rinter as & "rite it. & use no stimulants of anykind, but sometimes eat an orange or t"o. After "orking to"ardsmidnight, & sometimes feel hungry, but & ne#er eat for fear of s!oiling my nightFs rest. & li#ed many years in Russia, and mye !erience is, that !eo!le "ho smoke too much suffer from their throat. Emile Augrer has been #ery ill "ith his stomach, from smokingtoo many strong cigars. -e ceased, and has been com!letely healed.

-. GRE+&>>E. A!ril 4J, JJ4.


27/58

3?@T G?BER@AT&S.

&n re!ly to your fa#our of the 4Jth ult., & ha#e the honour to informyou that & do not smoke, because nicotine acts u!on my system as amost !o"erful !oison. At the age of ten & had a -a#ana cigar gi#en meto smokeC after smoking it & fainted and did not come to myself tillafter a Idee! slee!, "hich lasted t"enty four hours.I )hen & "ast"enty, the third !art of a cigar "as gi#en me to smoke as a remedyfor the toothache. & could not finish it. A cold !ers!iration attended"ith #omiting and fainting ensued. & therefore judge from the effectsof tobacco u!on myself that it cannot be such a benefactor of mankindas !eo!le ha#e tried to make it out. & am con#inced that in any case,smoking lulls the mind to slee!, and "hen carried to e cess tends to!roduce stu!efaction or idiotcy.

Perha!s you are a"are that in >ittle Russia, the !eo!le call tobaccothe I$e#ilFs herbIC and it is related that the de#il !lanted itunder the form of an idolater. *or my !art & am Huite !re!ared to

ado!t the o!inion of the Russian !eo!le. Before the time of Peter theGreat, smoking "as strictly !rohibited in Russia.

The Poet Prati sang one day2

*uma, !assagia e medita E di#errai !oeta.

LSmoke, ramble alone and think, and thou "ill soon become a !oet.M

That is "hat he himself does, but my belief is that o"ing to the abuseof cigars, he so freHuently ra#es LdotesM and his !oetry is often

cloudy.

As for alcohol, & take it to be !ro#ed beyond all doubt, that "hentaken in #ery small Huantities it may, in certain cases, do good, butthat taken in large Huantities it kills. After ha#ing burnt thestomach, it de!ri#es it of its !o"er of digestion. & ha#e seen a greatmany !ersons begin to use alcoholic be#erages in the ho!e of acHuiringtone, and after"ards get so accustomed to their use, that the best

hianti "ine !assed into their stomach like "ater. &n this case, as inso many other cases, it is a Huestion of measure. Alcohol has a likeinjurious effect u!on the brain as u!on the stomach.

& am by no means an authority on the Huestion "hich you ha#e been goodenough to address to me, and can therefore only gi#e you briefly astatement of my o"n !ersonal e !erience. S!eaking of stimulants, &"ould mention, for instance, the strange effect !roduced u!on myrather sensiti#e organism by a single cu! of coffee. &f & take a cu!of coffee at si oFclock in the e#ening & cannot get to slee! beforesi in the morning. &f & take it at noon & can get to slee! atmidnight & kno" that many !eo!le take coffee to kee! a"ake "hen"orking through the night. y o"n o!inion is that you cannot "ork anybetter "ith these stimulants. There is a sort of irritation !roducedby drinking coffee "hich & do not consider hel!ful to serious andsustained "ork. &t is !ossible, ho"e#er, that "orks of genius may be

!roduced sometimes in a state of ner#ous e citement, & su!!ose "henthe shattered ner#es begin to rela . anKoni "rote his master !ieces"hen in a state of !ainful ner#ous distraction, but alcohol had


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L M )hen "e read that literary !roducers of any !o"er ha#e gone on"orking u! to the last, e#en in the near a!!roach of death, "e usuallyfind the "ork done has been of a not un"elcome kind, and often that ithas formed !art of a long cherished design. But "hen the disease of "hich the sufferer is dying is consum!tion, or some disease "hichbet"een !aro ysms of !ain lea#es s!aces of ease and rest, it isnothing "onderful that "ork should be done. Some of the best of PaleyFs "orks "ere !roduced under such conditions, and some of thebest of ShelleyFs. @or, indeed, is there anything in mere !ain "hichnecessarily !re#ents literary "ork. The late r. T. T. >ynch !roducedsome of his most beautiful "ritings amid s!asms of Iangina!ectorisI. This reHuired high moral courage in the "riter.... &t isa curious, though "ell kno"n fact, ho"e#er, that times of illness,"hen the eyes s"im and the hand shakes, are oftentimes rich insuggestion. &f the mind is naturally fertile if there is stuff init the hours of illness are by no means "asted. &t is then that the%IdreamingI !o"er% "hich counts for so much in literary "orkoften asserts itself most usefully. IThe ontem!orary Re#ie"I,

#ol. 4/, !. /69.

L4M )hen the !oet )ords"orth "as engaged in com!osing the %)hite $oeof Rylstone,% he recei#ed a "ound in his foot, and he obser#ed thatthe continuation of his literary labours increased the irritation of the "oundC "hereas by sus!ending his "ork he could diminish it, andabsolute mental rest !roduced !erfect cure. &n connection "ith thisincident he remarked that !oetic e citement, accom!anied by !rotractedlabour in com!osition, al"ays brought on more or less of bodilyderangement -e !reser#ed himself from !ermanently injuriousconseHuences by his e cellent habit of life. -amerton. IThe&ntellectual >ifeI.

& kno" that certain authors think they can "rite better "hen takingartificial stimulants. & do not, ho"e#er, belie#e that an artificialirritation of the ner#es can ha#e any good effect u!on our faculty of a!!rehension. & am e#en inclined to think that "hen "e "rite best,

Iit is not o"ingI to ner#ous Ie citementI, but rather because our ner#es,after a !eriod of e treme irritation, Ilea#e us a fe" moments res!iteI,and it is during these moments the di#ine s!ark shines brightly. )hencreati#e genius has accom!lished its task, the ner#es once more rela!seinto their former irritability and cause us to sufferC but at the time of creation there is a truce of suffering.

& ne#er use any stimulant to hel! me in my laboursC yet "hen & ha#ebeen "riting "orks of fiction, for instance my &ndian and Roman Plays,& ha#e nearly al"ays been subject to great ner#ous agitation. )hen &suffered most from s!asms, & had short inter#als of freedom from !ain,during "hich & could "rite, and those around me asked in astonishmentho" & could, in the midst of such suffering, "rite scenes that "erecheerful, glo"ing and im!assioned.

& ha#e occasionally in my time enjoyed these luminous inter#als. & donot kno" "hether those "ho use alcohol as a stimulant ha#e e !eriencedthe same. @o doubt they ha#e succeeded in e citing their ner#oussensibilitiesC but & assert that the real "ork of creati#e genius is

accom!lished in the inter#als of this !urturbation of the ner#es "hichby some is deemed so essential to intellectual labour. )hen the ner#esare e cited to the highest !itch, they occasionally suffer, the


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of e treme abstinence, that some of those men "ho ha#e done most "orkin their day .@o#ember 6, JJ4.

R. P-&>&P G&>BERT -A ERT3@.

& am Huite "illing to ans"er your Huestion about tobacco. & used to

smoke in moderation, but si years ago, some young friends "erestaying at my house, and they led me into smoking more in the e#eningsthan & "as accustomed to. This brought on disturbed nights and dullmorningsC so & ga#e u! smoking altogether as an e !eriment for simonths. At the end of that time, & found my general health so muchim!ro#ed, that & determined to make abstinence a !ermanent rule, andha#e stuck to my determination e#er since, "ith decided benefit. &shall certainly ne#er resume smoking. & ne#er use any stimulants"hate#er "hen "riting, and belie#e the use of them to be most!erniciousC indeed, & ha#e seen terrible results from them. )hen a"riter feels dull, the best stimulant is fresh air. +ictor -ugo makesa good fire before "riting, and then o!ens the "indo". & ha#e often

found tem!orary dulness remo#ed by taking a turn out of doors, or sim!ly by ado!ting +ictor -ugoFs !lan. & am not a teetotaler, thoughat #arious times & ha#e abstained altogether from alcoholic stimulantsfor considerable !eriods, feeling better "ithout them. & drink ale tolunch, and "ine LBurgundyM to dinnerC but ne#er use either bet"eenmeals, "hen at home and at "ork. At one time & did myself harm bydrinking tea, but ha#e Huite gi#en u! both tea and coffee. ybreakfast in the morning is a basin of sou!, in#ariably, and nothingelse. This is #ery unusual in England, but not uncommon in *rance. &find it e cellent, as it su!!orts me "ell through the morning, "ithoutany e citement. y notion of the !erfect !hysical condition for intellectual "ork is that in "hich the body is "ell su!!orted "ithout

any kind of stimulus to the ner#ous system. Thanks to the obser#anceof a fe" sim!le rules, & enjoy #ery regular health, "ith greateHuality and regularity of "orking !o"er, so that & get through a


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right state. & ne#er do any brain "ork after dinnerC & dine at se#en,and read after, but only in languages that & can read "ithout anytrouble, and about subjects that & can read "ithout any trouble, andabout subjects that are familiar to me.

P.G. -A ERT3@.*ebruary =, JJ4.

R. T-3 AS -AR$'.

& fear that the information & can gi#e on the effect of tobacco "illbe less than little2 for & ha#e ne#er smoked a !i!eful in my life, nor a cigar. y im!ression is that its use "ould be #ery injurious in mycaseC and so far as & ha#e obser#ed, it is far from beneficial to anyliterary man. There are, unHuestionably, "riters "ho smoke "ith

im!unity, but this seems to be o"ing to the counterbalancing effect of some accident in their li#es or constitutions, on "hich fe" otherscould calculate. & ha#e ne#er found alcohol hel!ful to no#el "ritingin any degree. y e !erience goes to !ro#e that the effect of "ine,taken as a !reliminary to imaginati#e "ork, is to blind the "riter tothe Huality of "hat he !roduces rather than to raise its Huality. )hen"alking much out of doors, and !articularly "hen on ontinentalrambles, & occasionally drink a glass or t"o of claret or mild ale.The German beers seem really beneficial at these times of e ertion,"hich Las "ine seems other"iseM may be o"ing to some alimentaryHualities they !ossess, a!art from their stimulating !ro!erty. )iththese rare e ce!tions, & ha#e taken no alcoholic liHuor for the last

t"o years.

T. -AR$'.$ec. :, JJ4.

R. *RE$ER& -ARR&S3@.

*rederick -arrison ne#er has touched tobacco in any form, though much

in the society of habitual smokers, but finds many hours in a closesmoking room rather de!ressing. -as al"ays taken a moderate amount of alcohol L!int of claretM IonceI in the day, and finds himself rather stronger "ith than "ithout it. Age fifty, health !erfectCaccustomed to much o!en air e ercise, long slee!, and little food.Reads and "rites from eight to ten hours !er diem, and ne#er remembersto ha#e been a day unfit for "ork.

arch, JJ4.

R. G. A. -E@T'.


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&n ans"er to your Huestion, certainly in my o"n case & should findstimulants destructi#e to good "ork. & get through an immense deal of literary "ork in the course of the day. & rise at eight, and seldom!ut out my light until three in the morning. )ith lunch and dinner &drink claret and "ater, and ne#er touch stimulants of any kind e ce!tat meals. 3n the other hand, & smoke from the time & ha#e finishedbreakfast until & go to bed, and should find it #ery difficult to"rite unless smoking. & ha#e a great circle of literary friends, andscarce but one smokes "hile he "orks. Some take stimulants such asbrandy and soda "ater "hile at "orkC some do not, but certainlynineteen out of t"enty smoke. & belie#e that smoking, if not begununtil after the age of t"enty one, to be in the #ast majority of casesad#antageous alike to health, tem!er, and intellectC for & do notthink that it is in any "ay deleterious to the health, "hile itcertainly aids in kee!ing a"ay infectious diseases, malaria, fe#er,

c.

)hile & consider a moderate use of "ine and beer ad#antageous e ce!t,of course, "here beer, as is often the case, affects the li#er, &

regard the use of s!irits as "holly deleterious, e ce!t "hen medicallyreHuired, and should like to see the ta u!on s!irits raised tenfold.

A glass of s!irits and "ater may do no harm, but there is such atendency u!on the !art of those "ho use them to increase the dose, andthe end is, in that case, destruction to mind and body.

G. A. -E@T'.*ebruary 44, JJ4.

R. 3>&+ER )E@$E>> -3> ES

Prefers an entirely undisturbed and unclouded brain for mental "ork,unstimulated by anything stronger than tea or coffee, unaffected bytobacco or other drags. -is faculties are best under his control inthe forenoon, bet"een breakfast and lunch. The only intellectual usehe could find in stimulants is the Huickened mental action they induce"hen taken in com!any. -e thinks ideas may reach the brain "henslightly stimulated, "hich remain after the stimulus has ceased todisturb its rhythms. -e does not habitually use any drink stronger than "ater. -e has no !erem!tory rule, ha#ing no tem!tation to

indulgence, but a!!roaching near to abstinence as he gro"s older. -edoes not belie#e that any stimulus is of ad#antage to a healthystudent, unless no" and then socially, in the inter#als of mentallabour.

R. GE3RGE '3A E.

& ne#er took enough of stimulants to tell "hether it is good or ill

for %thinking and "orking.% Tobacco is only good "hen you ha#e a habitof "orking too much, as it makes you laKy minded.


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A!ril =, JJ4.

S&R >S.arch 4, JJ4.

$R.


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my bed, & am thankful to say, for a day, in my life. 6th, that u! tothe age of t"enty four & rose at se#enC and u! to the age of t"enty se#en, at si C since t"enty se#en, at fi#e a.m. :th, that it isa common occurrence for me to ha#e been Lfor some years !astM atmental em!loyment from si a.m., to se#en !.m. 9th, that & do not findthe least necessity for stimulants in the form either of tobacco or of alcohol.

-E@R' >A@S$E>>.arch =, JJ4.

RE+. STA@>E' >EAT-ES, $. $.

& am not an habitual smoker, and therefore cannot s!eak about itseffectsC & find it an irritant rather than a sedati#e. But & am Huite

sensible of the #irtue of an occasional glass of good "ine, and amcertain & can "ork better "ith than "ithout it.

STA@>E' >EAT-ES. A!ril :, JJ4.

). E. -. >E '.

& am not a smoker, and am therefore unable to gi#e you any e#idenceon the subject.

). E. -. >E '.*ebruary 0, JJ4.

$R. *. R. >EES.

& ha#e tra#elled in #arious !arts of the "orld, from Greece to thePacific, and from the oasts of >abrador to the Southern States of @orth America, !erha!s as much as any man li#ing, and ha#e ne#er, inheat or cold, felt any incon#enience from my forty eight years of abstinence. & ha#e lectured for many nights consecuti#ely on #ariousto!ics during the inter#als of that time, and ha#e "ritten thousandsof articles on !hiloso!hy, tem!erance, !hysiology, !olitics andcriticisms in !a!ers and magaKines, and !ublished !am!hlets and#olumes eHual to 4: octa#os of small !rintC but ha#e ne#er reHuiredanything stronger than tea or coffee as a stimulant. The Alliance

IPriKe EssayI L 55 guineasM of =45 !ages "as com!osed and "rittenin 4 days. & ne#er smoke, snuff, or che". & ha#e kno"n ImanyI

literary men ruined by smoking, and in all cases the continued use of tobacco is most injurious to the mind, as "ell as to the body. &t IslaysI the ner#ous recu!erati#e energy.


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*. R. >EES.@o#ember 0, JJ4.

R. >E3@E >E+&, *. S. A.,BARR&STER AT >A), Professor of the Princi!les and Practice of ommerceand ommercial >a", ingFs ollege, >ondon.

& ha#e no hesitation in saying that & ha#e ne#er found the need of either tobacco or alcohol, or any other stimulants, for myintellectual efforts. & ha#e ne#er used tobacco in any form, andthough occasionally, "hen my !hysical forces are much e hausted, &ha#e deri#ed benefit from a single glass of "ine or ale, as a rule,and in my ordinary diet, & use nothing "hate#er but fresh "ater. Thisis my !ersonal e !erience, and though & ha#e "orked #ery hard oftensi teen hours a day of continuous labour & ha#e al"ays enjoyed,

thanks to Pro#idence, the best of health.

>E3@E >E+&.

S&R ?BB3 , BART. . P.

& beg to say that in my o!inion the use of tobacco is, in the greatmajority of cases, !rejudicial. As to alcohol, & "ould rather not

e !ress any o!inion.

?BB3 .*ebruary 0, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R AG@?S.

&n re!ly to your enHuiry res!ecting the use of tobacco and alcohol, &

shall be glad to gi#e you all the information & !ossess on thissubjectC though, of course, & am not in a !osition to judge "hether myfe" remarks "ill be of any ser#ice to you.

&n the first !lace, as regards the influence of tobacco and alcoholu!on the health in general, it is clearly ascertained that under certain circumstances, it may become highly injurious.

A!art from the disturbance !roduced in the "hole ner#ous system, thereare serious diseases affecting certain organs of the body, "hich arisesolely from the abuse of both these stimulants. )e note a seriousaffection of the #isual organs, "hich "e !lainly designate by the name

of2 %Emblyo!ia e abusu nicotiano et alcoholico.% The sym!toms of thiscom!laint consist chiefly in a gradual and steady decline of the !o"er of sight, cou!led "ith !artial colour blindness. & cannot here enter


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as regards each of the different colours, and can only refer to thecharacteristic "eakening of the !o"er to distinguish red from other hues.

&t "ill not be necessary, & !resume, to e tend my remarks to the e#ileffects of tobacco and alcohol u!on the human body, as you aresufficiently acHuainted "ith them, es!ecially as far as alcohol isconcerned.

@o" as to the relation in "hich both stand to mental "ork. &f & may beallo"ed to state first of all the result of obser#ations in my o"ncase, & must tell you that & ha#e not found these drugs to be in anydegree hel!ful in the !erformance of mental labour. & find itabsolutely im!ossible to !ut any sensible thoughts on !a!er "hen & amsmoking. &n former years & freHuently tried to smoke a !i!e or a cigar o#er my "ork, but had al"ays to gi#e it u!C & only got into !ro!er "orking condition after !utting tobacco aside. &ndeed, of late years &ha#e felt a gro"ing anti!athy to tobacco, so that, "hilst & "asformerly !assionately fond of smoking, & ne", #ery rarely, indeed,

indulge in the !ractice.

y e !erience "ith regard to alcohol is !recisely similar. & am #eryfond of a little beer, but not "hen at "ork. The current of mythoughts flo"s much more clearly and ra!idly "hen & ha#e had no drink.& ha#e a s!ecial a#ersion for "ine, "hich, indeed, & do not drink atall. Generally s!eaking, & can therefore say, that, in my o"n case,tobacco and alcohol ha#e a disturbing effect, "hen doing mental "ork.This you "ill, of course, take as a!!lying to myself alone. & kno"some #ery res!ectable scholars in this to"n and neighbourhood "ho areonly ca!able of thinking and "orking !ro!erly "hen under the influenceof tobacco.

AG@?S.Breslau, *ebruary 4J, JJ4.

R. E$)AR$ A&T>A@$, B. A.

&n re!ly to your enHuiries, & ha#e to say that my e !erience of theeffects of alcohol and tobacco u!on intellectual "ork is a #ery

limited one, o"ing to the #ery moderate use & ha#e made of either. Sofar, ho"e#er, as my e !erience goes, my conclusions are as follo"s2tobacco, though it may, indeed, gi#e a momentary filli! to thefaculties, lessens their !o"er of enduranceC for by lo"ering theaction of the heart, it diminishes the blood su!!ly to the brain,lea#ing it im!erfectly nourished, and flaccid, and unable, there fore,to make due res!onse to the demands of its o"ner, the man "ithin, "hoseeks to manifest himself through the organism. 3f an organism thusaffected, as of an under!itched musical instrument, the tones "ill beflat. 3f stimulants, the effect is the contrary. 3"ing to theo#er tension of the strings, the music "ill be shar!. &t is a!t alsoto be irregular and discordant, o"ing to the action set u! in the

organism itself an action "hich is not that of the !erformer or man.That "hich alone ought to find e !ression, is the central, informings!irit of the indi#idualC and for both idea and e !ression to be


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-ence, ho"e#er great a man and his "ork may be, under the influence of alcohol or tobacco, or on a diet of flesh, they "ould be still greater on !ure natural regimen. 3f course, there are cases in abundance in"hich !ersons ha#e become so de!ra#ed by e#il habits, as to be utterlyinca!acitated through the disuse of that to "hich they ha#e beenaccustomed. But no sound argument in fa#our of the abuse can befounded on this.

E$)AR$ A&T>A@$.arch 45, JJ4.

S&R T-E3$3RE ART&@, . . B.

To myself tobacco is sim!ly !oison, and & belie#e it is so to #erymany "ho use it. & ha#e seen !roofs that it is so among the friends of

my youth, "ho certainly hurt their health and shortened their li#es bysmoking. But, on the other hand, & ha#e kno"n others "ho smoked "ithim!unity, and e#en "ith benefit to their ner#ous system. These,ho"e#er, are, in my e !erience, e ce!tional cases. )ine in moderationis, & am sure, beneficial to brain "orkersC and & feel confident thatit is far better, as a rule, to assist the system by this, than byfood "ithout "ine or alcohol, "hich, in my e !erience, seems al"ays tolead to eating to an e tent that is #ery a!t to cause derangement of the functions of the body. But, really, & ha#e not made myobser#ations either "ith such care or on so "ide a scale as to gi#ethem any #alue.

T-E3$3RE ART&@.*ebruary J, JJ4.

T-E RE+.


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faith. *or a time of, & su!!ose, from t"el#e to fifteen years, & ha#e!ersisted in this ruleC not, indeed, being under any #o", but!ractically not taking more than half a doKen glasses of "ine !er annum. $uring this time, & ha#e esca!ed, a!!arently, all tendency togouty affectionsC ha#e returned to untroubled slee! and digestionCand, not"ithstanding the ad#ance of old age L& am no" 00M, ha#eretained the !o"er of mental a!!lication, "ith only this abatement!erce!tible to myself, that a gi#en task reHuires a some"hat longer time than in fresher days. Though the sedentary life of a student isnot #ery fa#ourable to the maintenance of muscular #igour, it has notyet forbidden me the annual delight of reaching the chief summits of the airn Gorm mountains during my summer residence in &n#erness. &"ill only add that & ha#e ne#er found the slightest difficulty,!hysical or moral, in an instantaneous change of habit to com!leteabstinence. &nstead of feeling any de!ressing "ant of "hat & hadrelinHuished, & ha#e found a direct refreshment and satisfaction inthe sim!ler modes of life. *e" things, & belie#e, do more, at aminimum of cost, to lighten the s!irits and s"eeten the tem!er of families and of society, than the re!udiation of artificial

indulgences.


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heart had fallen from my mind. Such a thing has rarely or seldomha!!ened before. $istressed at this sorro"ful decay of my memory, &made an heroic resolution, "hich nothing has disturbed since. 3n the

st of August, J9=, & smoked three cigars and used t"enty fi#ecentimes L4 O4d.M "orth of snuffC from the follo"ing day to


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therefore see that & am utterly incom!etent to !ronounce on theres!ecti#e effects, on the mind and body, of moderate indulgence, andof total abstinence, for & ha#e ne#er tried the latter.

A. 3@GRE$&E@. arch 5, JJ4.

$R. &S-ET' 3>3G& A> A@$ -&ST3R& A> $& T&3@AR'.

& use no stimulants of any kind, and should be #ery sorry to do so. &thought it "as no" generally admitted that the more "ork a man has todo, the less he can afford to muddle himself in any "ay. But as & ha#ene#er tried the e !eriment in using either alcohol or tobacco, andcannot afford to do it, & ha#e no com!arati#e e !erience to offer. &tmight be beneficialC & do not belie#e it "ould, and !refer not to risk

the chance. I*iat e !erimentum in cor!ore #ilioreI.


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caused coughing and s!itting, and the heat of "ine to my o"n !alateand throat "as offensi#e. Beer, ale, and !orter disgusted me by their bitterness. Porter "as !eculiarly nauseous to me. & early sa" theill effects of "ine on youths, and "as frightened by accounts of college drunkenness. *or this reason, as "ell as from economy, &ne#er became a "ine drinker, further than to drink healths by justcolouring "ater in a glass. & ha#e ne#er dreamed of needing "ine,though often in old time ordered by !hysicians to drink it. @otha#ing then the same !o"er to look o#er their heads "hich e !erienceof their changes and their follies has brought to me & used to obey alittle "hile, but Huickly re#erted to my glass of "ater, and ne#er had reason to belie#e, from my o"n case, that there "as any ad#antagefrom the "ine. &n J95 , the Parisian e !eriments !ro#ed that allalcohol arrests digestion. Since then & ha#e called myself ateetotaler. To me it seems clear that lo#e of the drink, or fear of losing !atients by forbidding it, are the true cause of the fuss madein its fa#our. & grie#e that so noble a fruit as gra!es should be"asted on "ine. The same remark "ill hold of barley, of honey, of raisins, of dates2 from "hich men make into icating drinks. As to

tobacco "hile & "as in Turkey more than fifty years ago, & learned tosmoke Turkish tobacco in a long Turkish !i!e, !artly to relie#e e#ilsmells, !artly because it is unci#il there to refuse the !roffered!i!e. & ne#er "as a"are of good or e#il from it, and "ith !erfectease laid it aside "hen & Huitted the soil of Asia. After this, acigar "as recommended to me in England, as a remedy for loss of slee!, but the essential oil of tobacco so near to my nose disgustedme, and the heat or smoke distressed my eyes. & ha#e ne#er felt any!leasure, rather annoyance, from English smokingC and since the lateSir Benjamin Brodie !ublished his !am!hlet against it L!erha!s in

J::M, & ha#e learned that the !ractice is sim!ly baneful. They say%it soothes% "hich & inter!ret to mean %it makes me inattenti#e and

dreamy.%

*RA@ &S ). @E) [email protected] 4, JJ4.

T-E RE+. AR PATT&S3@, B. $.

The story of my !ersonal e !eriences of alcohol is one "hich "ould

reHuire more time than & can no" command to "rite !ro!erly. & can no"only say that & did not begin "ine, as a habit, till & "asthirty se#enC that, at first, an occasional effect "as fa#ourable tothe brain !o"er, but al"ays follo"ed by corres!onding reaction to"ardsfeebleness. About fifty se#en, & "as obliged to gi#e u! "inealtogetherC & found great general ad#antage from doing so, and nodisad#antage "hate#er as regards mental acti#ity. & am no"si ty eight, and take a glass of claret e#ery third day, or oftener.This medicine does not !roduce any !erce!tible effect on the braindirectly, but & ha#e a fancy that & slee! better after "ineC and slee!& ha#e al"ays looked to as the best brain restorati#e. 7*ootnote2S>EEP &S T-E BEST ST& ?>A@T. The best !ossible thing for a man to do

"hen he feels too "eak to carry anything through is to go to bed andslee! for a "eek, if he can. This is the only recu!eration of brain !o"er, the only recu!eration of brain forceC because during


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a!!ro!riate !articles of nutriment from the blood, "hich take the!lace of those that ha#e been consumed in !re#ious labour, since the#ery act of thinking consumes or burns u! solid !articles, as e#eryturn of the "heel or scre" of the steamer is the result of theconsum!tion by fire of the fuel in the furnace. The su!!ly of consumedbrain substance can only be had from the nutriti#e !articles in theblood, "hich "ere obtained from the food eaten !re#iouslyC and thebrain is so constituted that it can best recei#e and a!!ro!riate toitself those nutriti#e !articles during a state of rest, of Huiet, andstillness of slee!. ere stimulants su!!ly nothing in themsel#esC theygoad the brain, and force it to a greater consum!tion of itssubstance, until the substance has been so e hausted that there is not!o"er enough left to recei#e a su!!ly, just as men are so near deathby thirst and star#ation that there is not !o"er enough left tos"allo" anything, and is o#er. IScientific AmericanI.; S!irits &ha#e ne#er drunkC Though & ha#e been a smoker for many years, & cannotsay anything as to its effects.

AR PATT&S3@.

arch 9, JJ4.

R.


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Ei ha# been an abstainer from the stimiulant alkohol nearli all meileif, and ei ha# al"ayK refraind from the sedukti# influens o# thesedati# tobako. Ei ha# therefor no eks!eriens tu ofer o# their use,ekse!t that about J=J ei "oK rekomended tu take a glas o# "ein !er day aK a tonik, and aK a remedi for dis!e!sia, h"ich then began tutrubel me. After obeying this medikal !reskri!shon for a year or t"o,and feinding no releef from it, ei ga#e u! both the "ein and the useo# flesh, %the brandi o# deietC% the dis!e!sia disa!eard, and haKne#er #iKited me sins.

Ei am nou #erjing on se#enti. Ei intensli enjoi leif and labor, andrek"eir nuthing beyond the laborK o# the day, and the "alk tu and frommei ofis, h"ich iK a meil, tu indius refreshing slee!. Ei kee! u! meileif long !raktis o# reteiring at ten oFklok, and being at mei desk atsiks. About three yearK ago ei ado!ted the kustom o# taking a siestafor half an our after diner. &t iK "el, aK ilton obKer#K, tu gi# thebodi rest diuring the ferst konkokshon o# the !rinsi!al meal.

The uKhual sumer #iKit tu the sea seid "oK unnon tu me til ei "oKfifti yearK o# aje. *rom J=0 Lthe date o# the !ublikashon o#%*onografi%M tu J9 Lthe date o# mei sekond marajeM, nearli a k"orter o# a sentiuri, ei "urkt on from siks in the morning til bed teim, tenoFklok, "ithout an inter#ening thought o# a holiday. Ei felt no "onto# a tem!oreri res!it from labor bekauK ei tuk no ekseiting food or drinkC and ei shud aK soon ha# meditated a breach in the $ekalog aK abreach in mei daili round o# diutiK bei eidling at the sea seid. &n

J9 ei relakst, and komenst the !raktis o# lea#ing mei ofis at siksin the e#ening. At the same teim ei komenst #iKiting the #ariiis"atering !laseK, or going tu the ontinent in the sumer for four or fei# "eeks. This rekriashon ei ha#e taken more for the sake o# mei

"eif and t"o sunK than from eni feeling o# nesesiti for it on mei o"n!art.

*rom mei o"n eks!eriens o# the benefits o# abstinens from the sedati#alkohol, and the stimulants tobako and snufC and mei obKer#ashon o#the efekts o# theKe thingK on !ersonK "ho indulj in them, ei ha# aferm kon#ikshon that they ekserseiK a dedli influens on the hiumanrase.

E&QA P&T [email protected] 4:, JJ4.

. GAST3@ P>A@TE.

& am much flattered by the interest that you attach to my o!inion onthe subject of the influence that certain substances can ha#e u!onthought and u!on intellectual "ork. & must tell you frankly that &ha#e not found that tobacco or alcohol ha#e an ad#antageous influence.&t is true that & ha#e not made much use of them & ha#e ne#er taken!ure s!irits, such as brandy, but only of "ine containing a little. &

ha#e been obliged sometimes, in trying to fortify my health, to takesome Bordeau "ine, and & ha#e not obser#ed that any a!!reciableeffect resulted from it u!on the facility of intellectual "ork. *rom


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contained in good Bordeau "ine, but & ha#e found that the alcohol inthe "ine o#er e cited the ner#ous system, !ro#oked slee!lessness andcram!sC and & ha#e finally ado!ted as a drink "ine mi ed "ith "ater,and e#en this in #ery small Huantities. As to tobacco, & ha#e alsotried itC and far from thinking that it fa#ours intellectual "ork, &belie#e, "ith one of our learned "riters Lthe Abbe oigno, Editor of the %I? ER A!ril 9, JJ4.


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R. E$)AR$ P3 @E>>,LP3 @E>>FS PRESS AGE@ ' A@$ >3@$3@ ASS3 &ATE$ REP3RTERS.M

&n re!ly to your letter, & should say that tobacco has some action onthe brainC but & think its action different in different !eo!le, andat different times in the same !erson. & think the action soothingafter food, but e citing on an em!ty stomach. &n the former case &think it !romotes thinking in this "ay2 that the mind concentratesits attention better during the mechanical o!eration of %!uffing%,than "hen it is liable to be disturbed "hen not so occu!ied. *or thisreason & should say that smoking does hel! to get through "ork late atnight. & find freHuently that ha#ing commenced to "rite "ith a fresh!i!e in my mouth, & go on a long time after it goes outC but as itremains in my mouth, it seems to ha#e almost the same effect till thedisco#ery, at some !ause, that my !i!e is outC and then it is arela ation to s!are a moment to refill it. & do not look u!on smoking

as a necessity to mental labourC but it seems to me, as a smoker, anagreeable and useful method for concentrating thought u!on anysubject. But & think it "ould be difficult to lay do"n any generalrule for !ersons of different constitutions.

E. P3 @E>>.arch 5, JJ4.

PR3*ESS3R GE3RGE RA)>&@S3@.

Although it does not a!!ear to me that the method of your enHuiry canlead to any im!ortant results, you are Huite "elcome to anyinformation that & can gi#e you on the subject. & "as brought u! totake daily a moderate amount of beer or "ine, and ha#e continued to doso all my lifetime, "ith the e ce!tion that my beer has been cut off,and & ha#e been recommended to take a little brandy and soda "ater, or "hiskey and soda "ater instead. & smoked an occasional cigar "hen &"as young, but ne#er much liked tobacco, and ga#e u! the !racticeentirely "hen & "as about fi#e and t"enty. & ha#e ne#er tried lea#ingoff alcoholic liHuors, being ad#ised medically that it "ould !robably

be injurious to me to do so. & am, therefore, Huite unable to say "hateffect my doing so "ould ha#e on my !o"ers of thought and "ork.

GE3RGE RA)>&@[email protected] 4J, JJ4.

R. -AR>ES REA$E.

'our subject is im!ortant, and your method of enHuiry sound. & "ish &could thro" any light, but & cannot more than this. & tried to smokefi#e or si times, but it al"ays made me hea#y and rather sickC


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makes me sick, & s!urned it from me. & ha#e ne#er felt the "ant of it.& ha#e seen many !eo!le the "orse for it. & ha#e seen many !eo!lea!!arently none the "orse for it. & ne#er sa" anybody !erce!tibly thebetter for it.

. REA$E.*eb. 4, JJ4.

R. T-3 AS A>>E@ REE$.

'ou ask me "hether & ha#e found tobacco or "ine a hel! to me in my"ork. @o1 As to the first, for the sufficient reason that & ha#e ne#er tried it. & ne#er smoked a !i!e or a cigar in my life, and ha#e nointention of commencing the !ractice. )hen, more than thirty yearsago, & entered u!on my !rofession, & "as told by my IconfreresI

that & should soon follo" their e am!le, and they smiled at myinnocence "hen & declared that & thought they "ere mistaken. As toalcohol, & am not a teetotaler, but & think & can truly say that &ne#er found the least benefit from "ine or beer in my daily or nightly"ork. &ndeed, & consider them rather a hindrance, ha#ing a tendency tomake one hea#y and slee!y. & ha#e been, and am still, a tolerably hard"orker, "ithout the use of artificial stimulants, and judging from myo"n e !erience, and that of many others "ith "hom & ha#e beenconnected in my !rofessional labours, & donFt belie#e in their efficacy. &f & take a glass of "ine occasionally Lnot a freHuentindulgence "ith meM it is because & like it, not because & think ithel!s me in my "ork.

T. A. REE$.*eb. J, JJ4.

$R. &?S R3$E@BERG.

& ha#e smoked from my se#enteenth year, and could not do "ithout itno". 3n the "hole, & am but a moderate smoker, and seldom smoke "hilst

"alking, but at "ork & must ha#e my cigar, and find it agrees #ery"ell "ith my health. ost of my learned and literary friends smokeCbut t"o or three

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